News of Abyss Suppression Academy

Xing Yao suddenly sensed a distinct disturbance from outside. The air shook violently, and the surrounding spiritual energy instantly fell into utter chaos. The tremendous pulling force from the real world tore through the mental barrier around him like an invisible giant hand! His consciousness was yanked hard, and in the next instant, it was completely drawn out of the boundless mental world and returned securely to reality.

He had only just steadied himself when his gaze sharpened slightly. His keen eyes pierced the somewhat murky air around him, and he clearly saw Qin Lie, captain of the Cloud-Soaring Squad, striding straight toward him with steady steps and an intimidating presence, his hawklike gaze locked firmly on Xing Yao's location!

With every step Qin Lie took, the ground seemed to tremble faintly. The pressure of a powerful expert radiated from him like a tide, making even the surrounding air oppressive and stagnant.

Several awakened who had been standing by nearby sensed the terrifying disturbance in his aura and instantly stiffened in fright. They stopped everything they were doing and turned toward Xing Yao and Qin Lie, eyes wide and faces filled with shock and curiosity. Their gazes were full of incredulous scrutiny. They simply could not understand why the captain of the Cloud-Soaring Squad would personally seek out this seemingly unremarkable young man.

Xing Yao slowly raised his head, his gaze so calm that not a ripple stirred within it. He looked over composedly and saw Qin Lie, captain of the Cloud-Soaring Squad, standing a short distance away, his steady, sharp eyes examining him carefully from head to toe like a scalpel. Xing Yao did not avert his eyes in the slightest, nor did he show any stage fright. Without betraying anything, he likewise studied the man before him closely.

Qin Lie was tall and straight-backed. His snug black combat uniform outlined muscles brimming with explosive power, and a few traces of magical beast blood that had yet to dry stained its hem. He exuded the terrifying pressure of someone who had weathered countless battles and fought bathed in blood. His eyes were as deep as icy pools, and one glance was enough to tell that he was a top-tier expert who wielded real authority, had survived a hundred battles, and had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Merely standing there in silence, he made the surrounding air grow faintly stagnant. An ordinary awakened before him probably would not even dare breathe loudly, their legs already weak with fright!

Yet Xing Yao still stood perfectly straight, his back upright as an ancient pine, his eyes as indifferent as before, without revealing the slightest fear. Even the widely experienced Qin Lie inwardly nodded at this composure, growing increasingly surprised.

After a moment, Qin Lie strode straight up to Xing Yao with an irresistible presence. His gaze held a measure of scrutiny, yet concealed a barely perceptible trace of surprise and intense curiosity, as though he had long since heard this young man's name and even knew his deeds like the back of his hand.

His voice was steady, carrying the faint approval of an elder toward a junior as he spoke:

"Xing Yao. You're Xing Yao, aren't you?"

At those words, Xing Yao's heart gave a sudden jolt, and a deep sense of doubt quietly arose.

I clearly never took the initiative to reveal my identity, much less had any dealings with the Cloud-Soaring Squad. How exactly does this man know my name? He even managed to pinpoint my location. There's definitely a hidden secret behind this!

Qin Lie's gaze instinctively swept over Xing Yao's rather plain clothing. In that instant, he seemed to suddenly realize he had said something wrong. His expression abruptly changed, and a flicker of panic flashed through his eyes. He had clearly let something slip, revealing information he should not have.

He gave a light cough, quickly reining in that barely perceptible panic, and hurried to cover for himself. He kept his tone as natural and steady as possible, trying to conceal his earlier lapse:

"You've been the most closely watched person in the city lately. You awakened an unprecedented special talent. With something that earth-shattering, those of us in the official awakened system are bound to know a little about it."

After speaking, Qin Lie kept his gaze fixed firmly on Xing Yao, filled with deep scrutiny and a barely perceptible hint of probing. He knew very well that the young man before him was nowhere near as simple as he appeared.

Xing Yao remained outwardly calm, without the slightest ripple in his eyes, but inwardly, everything was as clear as a polished mirror. He had caught every little movement and flicker of panic from Qin Lie.

He's obviously lying!

All that talk about attracting attention by awakening a special talent? It's nothing but a flimsy excuse he made up on the spot! I know my own situation better than anyone. Qin Lie definitely knows more. He's even touched on my deepest secret!

The surrounding air seemed to grow incomparably heavy at that moment, its oppressive atmosphere weighing on the chest. A silent psychological contest was quietly unfolding between the two.

Not far away, several members of the Cloud-Soaring Squad stood rooted to the spot, not daring to breathe heavily. They looked at their captain with the utmost reverence while also studying Xing Yao, the mysterious young man who had suddenly appeared, with shock and curiosity. Anyone could see that their captain attached exceptional importance to this young man-so much that he was breaking the rules!

Xing Yao lowered his eyes slightly, his long lashes concealing the cold glint that flashed through them. Thoughts surged through his mind, but he did not immediately expose Qin Lie's lie.

He merely spoke lightly, his voice calm and unruffled, yet carrying a steadiness beyond his years:

"Captain Qin, you came specifically to find me. Surely it wasn't just to confirm my name?"

At that, a flicker of undisguised approval instantly crossed Qin Lie's eyes.

He really is smart. One hint and he understands, without needing any unnecessary words. His mind is far beyond those of his peers!

He put aside all his probing, his expression gradually becoming intensely serious. His aura steadied as well, and he deliberately lowered his voice, giving his words the air of an official notification, as though announcing a matter of monumental importance:

"That's right. I came to see you this time on official business."

As Qin Lie looked at Xing Yao, whose expression remained calm throughout, his previously scrutinizing gaze gradually softened. His tone lost some of its captain's stern authority and gained a hint of an elder's sincere guidance and concern for a junior.

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice further, almost to a whisper, as though revealing top-secret inside information known only to a handful of people at the highest levels. His eyes were utterly solemn:

"Xing Yao, besides meeting you, I came today to tell you some top-secret news in advance. In this entire city district, the people who know about this can be counted on the fingers of one hand!"

Xing Yao raised his brows slightly but still said nothing, simply waiting quietly for him to continue. Inwardly, however, he already understood that what the man was about to say was definitely no small matter. It might very well concern the goal he had been pursuing all along!

Qin Lie scanned their surroundings once more. Only after confirming that no outsiders were eavesdropping and no surveillance was watching did he slowly speak, each word exceptionally clear, striking Xing Yao's heart like a heavy hammer:

"Once you successfully get into Azure Dragon Academy, about two weeks after you enroll, you'll face a critically important secret realm test."

When he said "secret realm test," Qin Lie noticeably emphasized the words, his gaze becoming exceedingly serious as well, making the weight of this test plain:

"Don't underestimate this test. It's extremely important-important enough to change your entire life! How well you perform will directly determine whether you can successfully advance to the higher-level Abyss Suppression Academy afterward!"

Abyss Suppression Academy!